EcoMedia announced today the launch of the "EcoAd," an innovative and environmentally conscious form of advertising that directly funds green projects in local communities. When a viewer sees an ad featuring the EcoAd leaf, it will serve as a visual "green stamp of approval" signifying the brand that paid for the ad is sponsoring environmental projects such as solar installations, energy efficiency retrofits or the "greening" of schools, affordable housing and municipal buildings.

EcoAds are now available to clients across all CBS platforms, offering them a tangible way to improve the environment and the communities they serve as part of their CBS advertising buy. A promotional campaign educating viewers about the power of the EcoAd Leaf debuts on the CBS Television Network today and across other CBS properties. To see the promo and visit the EcoMedia Web site, click here: ecoad.cbs.com. The EcoAds themselves will begin airing in local CBS markets next week.

The EcoAd provides advertisers with the option of purchasing "sustainable media" that will deliver added value beyond traditional advertising. With the purchase of every EcoAd package, a portion of the dollars spent will go directly toward funding environmental and clean energy projects, all of which have been identified by local municipalities and public entities as being critical, yet under-funded. EcoAd advertising packages will be available to clients across CBS platforms, including network, local television, radio, outdoor and online.

"The power of the EcoAd leaf is extraordinary," said Paul Polizzotto, President of EcoMedia. "When an ad features the leaf, it sends a powerful message to viewers that the brand is committed to both the environment and the communities they serve. In supporting local green projects, they are helping municipalities with needed funding which in turn saves taxpayer dollars and leads to job creation. At EcoMedia, we have been putting this model to work for years. We are thrilled to be a part of the CBS family where we can grow the model across CBS's best-in-class media assets."

As part of the EcoAd advertising package, EcoMedia will team its advertising clients with projects that meet their community relations "green" objectives. These public-private partnerships will result in the completion of projects such as solar installations, energy efficiency retrofits and the "greening" of schools and municipal buildings, all of which create jobs, save taxpayer dollars and cut carbon emissions.

EcoMedia initiatives range from providing ocean and watershed protection to planting trees to promoting recycling, ridesharing and conserving energy and water. Examples of recent projects include an energy efficiency retrofit and solar power installation for Miami City Hall, green makeovers for public schools in San Francisco, Miami and Cook County, Ill., as well as a solar installation at California's Long Beach airport. Hundreds of similar projects have been indentified in communities across the country that will be completed through the EcoAd program.

"Chevrolet recently announced that it will invest $40 million in various clean energy projects throughout America with a goal to reduce 8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions," said Chris Perry, Vice President of Chevrolet Marketing. "Eco Media's EcoAd model provides an excellent opportunity to help promote energy savings, renewable energy, responsible use of natural resources and conservation in local communities across the United States."

"We are really part of a larger community of sustainable companies, so the notion of actually being able to go through the EcoMedia program, and help kids understand the benefits of organics, nutrition and sustainability is a good opportunity for Safeway and O Organics," said Alex Petrov, VP Consumer Brands, Safeway. "We have highly valued this partnership."

"SunPower is participating in the program because it's a great fit with our vision of 'changing the way the world is powered,'" said Jan Soderstrom, Chief Marketing Officer for SunPower Corp.. "As the leader in solar energy, our goal is to make a meaningful impact on the environment and local communities. With EcoAds, we have the opportunity to promote our value proposition and at the same time give back."

"The EcoAd is such an exciting concept because when you see it, you know that money from that commercial is going into the community, working with cities and local communities for real bricks and mortar projects that otherwise wouldn't get done that make our community better and our planet better," said Terry Tamminen, Founder and CEO Seventh Generation Advisors and former Secretary of the California EPA. "The potential for scaling EcoMedia's programs and proven results across all the CBS channels of distribution is exhilarating news for stakeholders who all benefit—corporations, local governments, environmentalists and all the people they serve."

[Editor’s note: See attached addendum for additional quotes]

About EcoMedia

EcoMedia is the newest addition to the CBS Corporation portfolio, providing a green value-add for advertisers across television, radio, interactive, publishing and outdoor. Through the groundbreaking EcoAd program, EcoMedia offers advertisers the unique ability to make tangible improvements to communities and the environment while also connecting more effectively with their consumers. This unique business model provides advertisers with the only truly sustainable option for their media purchasing. Each EcoAd devotes a portion of the media buy to fund environmental projects in communities across the United States.

Since 2002, EcoMedia has been building public-private partnerships that direct advertising revenues to support initiatives that protect the environment. EcoMedia's projects include diverting pollution from the oceans, safeguarding endangered fishing habitats, providing harbor and watershed protection, promoting recycling and ridesharing, conserving energy and water, planting trees and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

CBS first partnered with EcoMedia in 2008 to support projects in Long Beach, Calif. and Miami, Fla. Through this partnership, EcoMedia and CBS enabled an energy efficiency retrofit and solar power installation for Miami City Hall, completed a green makeover for public schools in San Francisco, Miami and Cook County, Ill., and installed solar panels at California's Long Beach airport. Hundreds of similar projects have been identified in communities across the country that will be completed through EcoMedia's EcoAd program.